Readings for Celebrating Advent

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel!
    He has taken care of his people and has set them free.

⁶⁹ He has raised up a mighty Savior^[a] for us
    from the family of his servant David,
⁷⁰ just as he promised long ago
through the mouth of his holy prophets
⁷¹ that he would save us from our enemies
    and from the grip of all who hate us.

⁷² He has shown mercy to our ancestors
    and remembered his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.

He granted us ⁷⁴ deliverance from our enemies’ grip
    so that we could serve him without fear
⁷⁵ and be holy and righteous before him all of our days.

⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,
    because you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way
⁷⁷ and to give his people knowledge of salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.

⁷⁸ Because of the tender mercy of our God,
    his light^[b] from on high has visited us,
⁷⁹ to shine on those who sit in darkness and in death’s shadow,
    and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”